Missing Children Publication Hub

The publications in this section contain the results of our research as well as curated research on topics and issues relevant to missing children in Europe and the world. Example of the type of research you can find are understanding the causes of the different types of missing children cases in Europe, policy on missing children, search and rescue operations and family support. The menu and submenu options below will help you find what you're looking for.

If you'd like to share relevant research with us, please send the title, a link and description of the research to info@missingchildreneurope.eu.

Describes therapy with an adolescent girl and her infant daughter, following the girl's escape from illegal detention, physical abuse and forced prostitution, after she was trafficked to the UK from Eastern Europe.

An exploratory model of girl's vulnerability to commercial sexual exploitation in prostitution by Joan A. Reid

Study utilising modelling to explore: whether caregiver strain is linked to child maltreatment, if experiencing maltreatment is associated with risk-inflating behaviours or sexual denigration of self/others, and if these behavioural and psychosocial dysfunctions are related to vulnerability to commercial sexual exploitation.

Missing and Exploited Children by M. Alexis Kennedy

Children who leave home as runaways or are forced from their homes without alternative placements (thrownaways) are at great risk for being sexually exploited through commercial sexual activity or prostitution.

Falling Through the Gaps: Safeguarding Children Trafficked into the UK by Bokhari, F

Overview of child trafficking in the UK. Highlights the shortcomings and inconsistent standards of local authorities, the lack of specialist protection and the uncertainty of a trafficked child's immigration status, combining to make these children vulnerable to further harm and at risk from the influence of their traffickers.

Kids as Commodities? Child trafficking and what to do about it by Mike Dottridge

Report focusing on what NGOs can do, with the intention of showing them what techniques there are agreement on, and what need further discussion.

Still in Harm's Way: An update report on trafficked and unaccompanied children going missing from care in the UK by ECPAT UK and Missing People

Following on from their ground-breaking 2016 report Heading Back to Harm, leading charities ECPAT UK and Missing People have revisited the issue using 2017 data to assess what has changed. This report shows that trafficked and unaccompanied children are still going missing from care at an alarmingly high rate.

Trafficking in Women and Children for Sexual Purposes: A Growing Threat in Europe by Manion, K

Presents and summarises sources of information regarding the trafficking of women and children for sexual purposes within Europe. Highlights the need for education of social care professionals regarding this issue and shows the current gaps within the system.

Terre des Hommes Netherlands' four researchers identified 1,000 predators in 10 weeks. Call for all government agencies in charge of justice to identify and convict 100,000 predators committing the crime of WCST before the end of 2014

Whose child now? Fifteen years of working to prevent the sexual exploitation of children in the UK by Stacey, L.

Report exploring the continuing hidden nature of the problem of sexually exploited children and describes what Barnardo's is doing today, while suggesting what action still remains to be taken to further protect exploited children and young people.

Explores how Crime Scripting can benefit crime investigations. This method has recently been used for investigations regarding child sex trafficking.

Hidden in Plain Sight: A statistical analysis of violence against children by UNICEF

The report sheds light on the prevalence of different forms of violence against children, with global figures and data from 190 countries. Where relevant, data are disaggregated by age and sex, to provide insights into risk and protective factors.

Research within the framework of developing a “Child Alert system”, a project coordinated by Child Focus.

Child Alerts for missing children: need for a balanced and integrated approach by Missing Children Europe

Endangered missing children for which a child alert system can be of use constitute an average 1 to 2% of the total cases of missing children. While child alert systems can be of use in those 1 to 2%, the overall problem of missing children - of which an average 60% concern children running away from situations of conflict, abuse, violence and neglect - requires a much more comprehensive approach, including measures aimed at prevention and empowerment.

Missing Persons A handbook of research by Karen Shalev Greene and Llian Alys

This groundbreaking book brings together for the first time ideas and expertise across this vast subject area into one interconnected publication. It explores the subjects of missing children, missing adults, the investigative process of missing person cases, and the families of missing persons.

The cultural nature of missing by Joe Apps

The notions of trying to define 'missing' and 'missingness' are fascinating. Many people, who are reported to authorities as being missing by family and friends, do not consider themselves as missing persons; when found, they are surprised that they have been considered as 'missing'. Adults have rights to do as they please and also the right to be forgotten.

Figures and Trends 2015 by Missing Children Europe

Every year Missing Children Europe collects data and statistics on missing children reported to hotlines for missing children active in all EU Member States and to the Cross Border Family mediator network.

Development of EU template and collection plan for statistical information and analysis on missing and sexually exploited children and trafficking in human beings in order to have reliable and comparable collection and analysis of indicators and other data, as well as enabling communication between EU, other EU bodies and third party organisations.

Report summarising findings from the Second National Incidence Studies of Missing, Abducted, Runaway, and Thrownaway Children. National estimates of missing children based on surveys of households, juvenile residential facilities, and law enforcement agencies.

Business Case-Situation Report: Gwent Multi-Agency Missing Children and Young People Project by Ian Jones

Findings from the Gwent Multi-Agency Missing Children Workshops

Children's rights must be a priority in the strategic guidelines by Anon

This submission's aim is to raise awareness among EU countries in Children disappearances especially those affected by migration. More support is needed by creating institutions that will help them.

Outlines the history and activation process of the Amber Alert, as well as the challenges and advantages experienced by the agencies involved.

Position paper: Child tracking devices by Missing Children Europe

A tracking device is an electronic security mechanism which allows monitoring the location of a person or an object. Over the past years, many tracking devices have been developed enabling adults to monitor and locate their children. This paper outlines Missing Children Europe's research and opinion on the issue of using child tracking devices.

Missing children figures and trends 2014 by Missing Children Europe

An annual data collection exercise to collect data on the numbers, categories and trends of missing children in Europe based on calls and cases dealt with by 116 000 missing children hotlines across Europe. While effective and standardised data collection mechanisms are lacking in Europe, this annual review provides for one of the only reliable and updated sources of information on missing children for the past year.

Missing and abducted children: A law enforcement guide to case investigation and program management by Eds: Preston Findlay, Robert G Lowery

Guide to assist law enforcement in the search for missing children. Its two goals are to provide (1) Police Officers with a step by step info. On how to respond to and investigate missing child cases, and (2) Administrators with the programmatic framework to manage the missing-child response within their agency's jurisdiction

Investigating missing children cases: a guide for first responders and investigators by Sprague, D. F.

Provides a solid training guide on missing children investigative techniques, enabling law enforcement professionals to respond confidently with a plan of action that offers the best possible chance for a positive outcome.

INTERACT: Report on multi-agency practical simulations on fictional cases in Belgium, France, Greece, Italy, the United Kingdom and Sweden by Missing Children Europe

This report illustrates the implementation and the results of the simulations of cases of missing children in migration is order to test practices and procedures for multi-agency collaboration at national and cross-border level.

The research addresses the question of how effective Supermarket Posters are in Helping to Find Missing Children

Missing Children in the European Union Mapping, data collection and statistics by European Commission

Collected and analysed data, and developed the basis to improve the mechanisms involved when children go missing in the 27 EU Member States.

Missing Children Memorandum to the EU by Delphine Moralis

Recommendations on effective European strategies regarding the cross-border problem of missing children.

Looking back: 15 years of prevention and responses to missing children in the European Union by Delphine Moralis

In 2001, the Council of the European Union adopted a Resolution on the contribution of civil society in finding missing or sexually exploited children under the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU. The Resolution coincided with the launch at the European Parliament of the European Federation for Missing and Sexually Exploited Children - now operating under the name Missing Children Europe. It also announced the beginning of a series of initiatives taken at the level of the EU to protect children from going missing. Measures taken over the past 15 years have included legislation, policy and funding, often promoting a public private partnerships response involving a broad range of stakeholders at different levels.
The presentation will outline and contextualise some of these key European initiatives and their impact at national level, including the latest data on the caseload of hotlines for missing children reachable in 29 European countries through the same European telephon

To date, few attempts have been made to evaluate the effectiveness of publicity campaigns, all of which were carried out in the USA. While scarce, the research tends to reveal disappointing results and suggest that publicity appeals don’t necessarily positively impact the investigation or search. The dissemination of images of missing children furthermore raises potential issues regarding the impact that it may have on the protection of the child’s privacy and overall wellbeing. Others however argue that appeals can help to gather vital information from the public and safeguard children at risk, with Child Alert systems in particular having been credited for safeguarding missing children (OJJPD, 2016). These views call for further research to ensure the effectiveness
of publicity appeals in their potential of saving lives, while limiting the negative impact for missing children and their families.

Family Factors and Runaway Missing Children: A Review of Theories and Research by Ravi Shankar B. G., Ravindra D.Gadkar

This paper reviews the research that has investigated the relationship between family factors and runaway incidence of Children. It also examines the prominent theories to understand runaway phenomena. It aims to assist practitioners and policy makers who work with children and families to make evidence informed
decisions

The European hotline number for missing children: A practical guide for hotline operators by Missing Children Europe

It contains key recommendations and examples of existing practices that every NGO running, or wishing to run, the 116000 hotline can draw inspiration from and make use of.

Still Hidden by Nicola Sharp

The article underlines and explores the possible link between children that go missing and child sexual exploitation.

Running from hate to what you think is love: The relationship between running away and child sexual exploitation by Emilie Smeaton

This report focuses on different cases of sexual exploitation on children. The report has a strong background information, with true examples. It tries to identify the problem of disappearance due to abuse.

Vulnerable Children on the run: A European Challenge by Martin Houghton-Brown

Summarizes a speech given by Martin Houghton-Brown given on the subject of children runaways.

This study both describes a home-visiting intervention program for young, sexually assaulted runaways (10 - 14 years old) and provides preliminary outcomes from the first 20 female participants.

Repeat reports to the police of missing people: locations and characteristics by Dr. Karen Shalev Greene and Professor Carol Hayden

The locations from which people are reported missing repeatedly in a one year period.

What to do when a child goes missing by Gwyther Rees

This guide gives some simple advice on what steps to
take when a child goes missing, based on our experience and the views of the young people involved.

HERE TO LISTEN? Return interviews provision for young runaways by Anon

Recommendations on return interviews

Examining Missing Person Police Reports to Identify the Service Needs of Runaway Youth and Their Families by George Patterson

Examined situational and demographic characteristics in a sample of 47 children missing person police reports.

Children Rough Sleepers in the EU by Professor Kate Moss

Interim report on a project which focuses on homelessness and rough sleeping in children

Children Rough Sleepers in Europe : A Research Methodology by Professor Kate Moss and Paramjit Singh

Paper describing the methodology used in research into homelessness and rough sleeping in children.

Running the Risks: The links between gang involvement and young people going missing by Rachel Sturrock and Lucy Holmes

The UK Missing Persons Bureau estimates that as many as 160,000 children and young people are reported missing every year. Research from the Children’s Society over the past decade has shed some light on this issue and the recent spotlight on CSE has pushed the issue of children and young people going missing up the political agenda. However, the link between gang involvement and going missing from home is still very much unknown, with no specific research or national data collected indicating how many are affected.